Could Mild Stenosis Have A Long-Term Impact On Mortality Risk?

Asymptomatic mild coronary plaque can still have along-term impact on mortality and risk of heart disease in patients with diabetes, according to a recent study.

In order to examine the effects of coronary plaque on overall health outcomes, researchers evaluated patients with CAD with mild stenosis (1% to 49%), obstructive stenosis (>50%), and no stenosis (0%), monitoring for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as myocardial infarction, late coronary revascularization, unstable angina, and death.
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Overall, 113 deaths (8.7%) and 116 cardiac events (14.8%) were reported.

Rates of death from MACE were significant regardless of whether CCTA detected obstructive or mild stenosis (HRs of 10.4 and 4.9, respectively).

The researchers noted that the relative risk associated with nonobstructive stenosis was comparable to single vessel obstructive disease.

The complete study was presented at the 2014 Radiological Society of North America Meeting in Chicago, IL.

-Michelle Canales

Reference:

Precious B, Blanke P, Raju R, et al. Long term prognostic utility of coronary CT angiography in low risk patients with no modifiable coronary artery disease risk factors: Registry from the CONFIRM International Multicenter Registry. Paper presented at: 2014 Radiological Society of North America Meeting; November 2014; Chicago, IL.